Booking Through Thursday - a day late

Do you keep all your unread books together, like books in a waiting room? Or are they scattered throughout your shelves, mingling like party-goers waiting for the host to come along?

Mine are usually mingled throughout the bookshelves. I like to keep my books in alaphabetical order by author (and by genre in some cases). So that means I shelve the unread books and read books by the same author together.

Now, the exception to this is that this year I took all the books I plan to read for challenges and shelved them together. So I do have a section of shelving that is all unread books.

Booking Through Thursday - Sticky

I know - I haven't played along in awhile - I blame it all on stress.  :)

“This can be a quick one. Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

This was actually hard for me, I think because I felt pressured to come up with a list in 15 minutes!

Snowflower and the Secret Fan

The Kite Runner

A Thousand Splendid Suns

The Catcher in the Rye (even though I didn't like it as well when read as an adult)

The Help

On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

The Stone and the Flute

Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles

Joanna Fluke - Hannah Swenson series - yeah yeah - I'm listing the entire series because it's the charactors that stick with me, not necessary the mystery or the actions in each book

Ann Rice - Vampire series - same excuse as above

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Skulduggery Pleasant

The School of Essential Ingredients

Kaffir Boy

Lucky 

Booking Through Thursday – Numbers Game

For something different, I'm borrowing a question from … here! One of the very first questions ever at Booking Through Thursday. Back from 2005 when Laura owned the blog but, because it was so new, it didn't get as many responses as it does now … so, why not revisit?

Here's the question:

Some people read one book at a time. Some people have a number of them on the go at any given time, perhaps a reading in bed book, a breakfast table book, a bathroom book, and so on, which leads me to…

Are you currently reading more than one book?

If so, how many books are you currently reading?

Is this normal for you?

Where do you keep your current reads?

Oddly enough, up until about 3pm today I was reading two books at once. Now I'm back down to one. So I'm going to say that I was currently reading 2 books since I officially was when this question was asked this morning. That is very abnormal for me. I'm not the type to have several going at once. I like to start one and finish it before I pick up another one. I keep my current reads all over the house. I take it to work with me, where it usually sits on my desk in one of those file sorters (when I'm on a bad call it kinda calms me to look at it – I know – such a book-a-holic). If I'm doing errands or driving around, it's usually in the car with me. While I'm at home…it could be anywhere. It could be on the kitchen table, on the kitchen island, on the end table in the family room, in the master bedroom. On occasion I'll be walking around with it and put it on a shelf in the closet and forget to take it out, so that's always a good place to look for it. It pretty much gets put down wherever I was last reading it or if I'm thinking, I put it in the family room on the back of the chair or on the end table because that's the central room in the house.

Oh, and to answer the question you were dying to ask, why was I reading two at once when it's so uncommon for me? Well..this happens every once in awhile and it's almost always for the same reason. I leave the book at work. Haha! I either leave it in my workout bag or on my desk. I don't usually go an evening without reading, so when I get home I usually pick up a new book to start reading. Then once I'm reunited with the first book, the second one sits on the island or back on the bookshelf till I finish the first one.

Booking Through Thursday - Library Week

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions.

How often do you use your public library and how do you use it?

Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library?

Did you go to the library as a child?

Do you have any particular memories of the library?

Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

I currently rarely use the library. In fact, I haven't used it in 3 years. Before that I was only using it for audio books. My reasoning is simple, I enjoy collecting the books I read. So I'm going to buy the books rather than borrow them (because I don't want to return them).

I see a lot of people using the coffee area's of local bookstores and think that's cool, but it's not my cup of tea (or should I say joe?). I don't drink coffee and while I know they probably sell other drinks, it's too expensive for me. I would rather browse the bookshelves and then plop down on the floor to flip through a book. I think these are popular but as Smiling Sal mentioned, with the economy I think more people will stop using these and head to the library. In fact, several libraries in my area have put a coffee shop inside. So..same thing but the books are free!

I used the library weekly when I was growing up. During the summer I would join the kids reading challenge and of course I always completed it (yet I have trouble completing reading challenges as an adult...hmmm....). I remember riding my bike to the library (and boy were there some hills!) during the summer and returning books and checking out the max that I could. The next week..I would do it again. My parents didn't buy us kids many books growing up, so the library is all I had.

I don't think I really have an opinion on the libraries, since I rarely use them now. I guess I like the looks of the modern ones and the cleanliness. However..the dark old ones do give you the feel of a good library.

Booking Through Thursday - Worst Book You've Ever Read

How about, “What’s the worst ‘best’ book you’ve ever read — the one everyone says is so great, but you can’t figure out why?”

For me, it would be A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. In fact, I don't even count it as one I've read, I didn't finish it. I didn't even get half-way through it. I thought the kid was rather annoying to be honest. I just didn't get it at all.

Booking Through Thursday – movie potential

What book do you think should be made into a movie? And do you have any suggestions for the producers?

Or, What book do you think should NEVER be made into a movie?

It's hard to sit here and think of books to be made into a movie. I usually think about this after I finish reading the book.

I would like to see the first Stephanie Plum book made into a movie.

I would also like to see Anne Rice's witch series made into a series of movies. My suggestion for the producers here would be to keep true to the book. Don't include things in the first movie that didn't happen in the first book, etc.

The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver

Confessions of a Contractor by Richard Murphy – I think this could make a good comedy

Um…wow…I can't think of any! What a hard question for me. I can't wait to see what others have answered for this one because I know I'm missing a lot.

Booking Through Thursday - Collectibles

Hardback or paperback?

Illustrations or just text?

First editions or don't care?

Signed by the author or not?

So this weeks edition is all about collectibles. Since I do collect and keep the majority of the books that cross my path, this is a good one for me.

I prefer hardback but they can be a pain to read. My favorite size for non-mystery books is trade paperback. I prefer mystery books to be either hardback or mass market paperback.

As for illustrations – I think it depends on the book. Most books I read don't have a need for illustrations. I think illustrations in some YA books and young reader books can be fun. I think illustrations in some science fiction and fantasy books can also be good. But for the most part, Illustrations aren't needed.

I would prefer to have first editions but don't normally go out of my way to get them.

I love getting books signed. I don't have them put my name in the book, just their signature. I love it! I realize a lot of people get books signed, but I still feel like I have a special copy whenever I do get one signed. I try to hit as many book signings as I can, the problem is that St. Louis doesn't draw in a lot of authors. It's a shame.

Booking Through Thursday - Storage

I recently got new bookshelves for my room, and I'm just loving them. Spent the afternoon putting up my books and sharing it on my blog . One of my friends asked a question and I thought it would be a great BTT question. So from Tina & myself, we'd like to know "How do you arrange your books on your shelves? Is it by author, by genre, or you just put it where it falls on?"

You're asking me? Somebody who has been known to organize the closets for fun? I admit…in the past mine haven't always been too organized. It was organized where it made sense to me and I could easily find things, but for others, probably not so much. I think it was like that because I didn't have enough room for all the books, so I had to pick and choose which books were left in boxes and which got to be displayed on the bookshelves. Instead of telling you how it used to be though, I'm going to focus on how it will be. As many of you know from reading my blog, I'm converting a room to be a library in our current house. While we have the flooring in and I'm working on painting the new French doors and will finish that and paint the room this weekend, I'm not sure when we will get the bookshelves built. The problem there is money. We have 9ft ceilings and I want one wall to be bookshelves, floor to ceiling. The wall is about 14 inches long. So it's going to be expensive. However, I do have a library case. It's rather large and heavy and has glass doors. I will be putting that in there. So I will have some room to display books for a bit. (don't worry…I'll probably have pictures to show next week)

Ok..enough…onto the actually answering of the question. Here's the plan. The books will be organized by genre. In each genre they will be organized alphabetically by author's last name. I have a lot of series books, I hope to put those in series order but won't be too picky about that, depends on how it looks. I have a binder where I keep a list of the series in order so it's easy for me to figure out when I go to grab a book. The only genre where I probably won't organize by author last name is the non-fiction. I don't have a lot of those. What I do have are mostly art books and memoirs. I haven't actually figured out what to do with these yet. I think the art books will go in my library case because some are rather large. However I might also just stack them up on the floor next to my comfy chair (which I don't own yet..another expense we aren't ready to do yet). Although, I guess I could still do memoirs by last name since, well, the book is about the author. Oh, and I have several war photography books. While I would love to sit these out, young children probably shouldn't have easy access to them. I am slowly collecting a large amount of young adult books (and I still have most from when I was growing up). While I think it would be cook to organize the young adult by genre and then author, I think I'll probably just do those by author to keep things simple.

Also, here's something I started doing this year and so far I love it. I pulled out all the books I'm reading for challenges and stuck them in my library case. I don't really have them in any order (which is kinda bothering me if you really want to know..that's how weird I am about organizing). I love this because when I'm ready to pick up a new book, I always look at these first in hopes of one grabbing my attention. It's an easy way to remember what I plan to read this year. Once I have read them, I put the book somewhere else. So that area of the library case will get smaller and smaller.

So that's a rather long response….what about you guys?

Booking Through Thursday - Authors Talking

Do you read any author's blog? If so, are you looking for information on their next project? On the author personally? Something else?

There are very few author blogs that I follow.

I follow Jason' Wrights blog, Life with Jason Wright. During the holidays he posts stories about people receiving (or giving) a real-life Christmas jar. In fact, some are still trickling in. I love reading those. Some are very long and full of detail, some are very short. But I love them.

I also follow The Lipstick Chronicles. The blog posts are written by authors: Harley Jane Kozak, Sarah Strohmeyer, Elaine Viets, Nancy Martin, and Michele Martinez. I don't read some of the authors books, but I read others. I personally just find most of the posts amusing.

Other than that, there aren't really any author's blogs that I really follow. I'll visit their websites to get book info and tour dates, but that's about it. There have been some others whose blogs I would follow, except that they blog on their website and don't have RSS feeds set-up, so I can't. And I'm personally too lazy and forgetful to keep going back to their blog to see what they are writing. I would follow only because some of the posts I read were funny.

Booking Through Thursday - Too Much Information

Have you ever been put off an author’s books after reading a biography of them? Or the reverse - a biography has made you love an author more?

I'm hoping by "biography" you mean the little blurb on the back cover about the author. If not, then I've never read an author's biography. If yes, then I sometimes read that. haha! I would have to admit that it doesn't effect me very much at all. Sometimes I read the biographies, sometimes I don't. If I do read them it is normally after I have already finished the book.

I will tell you what does put me off about an author, hearing others responses after meeting them or sharing emails, etc. If they love the author and talk about how nice they were etc, I will tend to gravitate towards the authors books. If they talk about the author being mean and sounding snobby, I tend to avoid the author's books.

Booking Through Thursday - new Year's Resolution

Happy New Year, everyone!

So....any reading resolutions?  Say, specific books you plan to read? A plan to read more___? Anything at all?

Name me at least one thing you are looking forward to reading this year!

I almost always have reading resolutions.  It's the only type of resolutions I make!  haha!

My goal is to read more books that I've listed for challenges, in fact, it's to actually complete all the challenges I have signed up for!  That's a big one...let's hope I do it.

I plan to read more..period.  My number dropped from 2007 to 2008.  So my goal is to get it back as high as it was in 2007, which is 130.

One book I plan to read?  Here's three...the rest of the Twilight series!  New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

Booking Through Thursday - Time is of the Essence

1. Do you get to read as much as you WANT to read?
(I’m guessing #1 is an easy question for everyone?)

Of course not! I admit that there are a lot of times when I can be found watching tv instead of reading, but that doesn't mean I still don't want more time to read.

2. If you had (magically) more time to read–what would you read? Something educational? Classic? Comfort Reading? Escapism? Magazines?

I would read the same things I can be found reading on any given day. I don't tend to read magazines very much. I doubt it would be educational. haha! It would be the mysteries and the fiction and the odd non-fiction that catches my interest.

Booking Through Thursday - 5 for Favorites

1. Do you have a favorite author?

I have several authors that I really like. I wouldn't say that is one author that is at the very top though. J.A. Jance, Joanna Fluke, Charlaine Harris, and Susan McBride come to mind. I suppose I can't get away without mentioning J.K. Rowling either. I've loved all the Kay Hoopers books I have read. I could say the same for Heather Graham too. Oh...um....shoot..what's the name.....ah..Victoria Laurie. I love her books. There are also several authors where I've only had a chance to read one or two of their books and while I loved them, I can't call them a favorite until I've read all or most of them.

2. Have you read everything he or she has written?

For the most part - I have read all the books by the majority of the authors mentioned above. There are a couple where I have only one or two left to read and I'm saving them for when I need a pick me-up.
3. Did you LIKE everything?

I can honestly say that I did.
4. How about a least favorite author?

Oh, this one is harder. It would have to be somebody that I attempted to read a book by them and just couldn't do it. Isabel Allende comes to mind. I have only tried to read Paula, but couldn't finish it.
5. An author you wanted to like, but didn’t?

This is one of those questions where if I was reviewing a book, this is something I would say. I wanted to like it, but didn't. However, since you are asking me, I can't come up with any. haha!

Booking through Thursday: Honesty

I receive a lot of review books, but I have never once told lies about the book just because I got a free copy of it. However, some authors seem to feel that if they send you a copy of their book for free, you should give it a positive review.
Do you think reviewers are obligated to put up a good review of a book, even if they don’t like it? Have we come to a point where reviewers *need* to put up disclaimers to (hopefully) save themselves from being harassed by unhappy authors who get negative reviews?

You know, I try to be as honest as I can. I don't think we are obligated to give a good review, we need to give honest feedback. I think the hope is that if we accepted the book, we will like it, but you never know. I have had some where I mention that the book was just ok, didn't love it, but didn't hate it. I think that's fair. There have been some where I can't get past page 50. If that's the case, I just don't mention it on my blog. I tell the author that I really couldn't get into it for whatever reason and that I wouldn't be reviewing it on my blog. This has only happened twice I think. And if I remember correctly, I never got a reply. I figure we take our chances reading the books and the authors take their chances sending us the book to review. If we love it, you know we're going to talk about it, and that will generate interest in their book and hopefully lots of sales. If we didn't like it, we can put what we didn't like about it and other readers can still decide if they want to read it. Maybe the things that bothered me about the book, won't bother you.

Speaking of review books, when I review a book, I don't normally mention that it was a review book. My thoughts behind this are that I don't want a person to read the review and wonder if I'm saying good things only because it was a review copy and I feel like I need to.

Also speaking of review books, I feel greedy. I have the hardest time passing them up. However, then I feel terrible because I have all these other books I already own and keep buying and I don't have time to read them. Then...while I try not to let this happen, it always happens, I get way too many review books and it takes me months to get to them and then I feel terrible. So..I've been better about not accepting very many lately. And while I love getting a review book in the mail (I mean really...who wouldn't?) I'm going to continue to try and not accept as many even after I get my huge stack finished with. I miss reading some of my favorite authors and I hate feeling guilty when I read a book off of my shelf when I have a stack of review books waiting for me.

Blogging Through Thursday - Why Buy?

I’ve asked, in the past, about whether you more often buy your books, or get them from libraries. What I want to know today, is, WHY BUY?

Even if you are a die-hard fan of the public library system, I’m betting you have at least ONE permanent resident of your bookshelves in your house. I’m betting that no real book-lover can go through life without owning at least one book. So … why that one? What made you buy the books that you actually own, even though your usual preference is to borrow and return them?

If you usually buy your books, tell me why. Why buy instead of borrow? Why shell out your hard-earned dollars for something you could get for free?

I normally buy my books. In fact, I can't remember the last time I actually checked out a book from the library. I will check-out audio books, but never paper books. oh...and I do have one friend who sends me books that they have read and knows I'll enjoy them. But..the majority of the time I do buy my books. Why? I really have two reasons for this. First, reading is my hobby. I collect the books. I actually have a room set aside to be a library. Currently all majority of books are in boxes but one day, we'll got those book shelves built. Second, I feel like I'm helping the authors. Authors aren't going to get contracts if their books aren't selling. I know I'm only buying one copy, but I have to think that every bit helps. I think libraries are great, but for now, I can afford the books so I prefer to buy them.

Booking Through Thursday - Presents

What, if any, memorable or special book have you ever gotten as a present? Birthday or otherwise. What made it so notable? The person who gave it? The book itself? The “gift aura?”

I wouldn't say I have received any special ones for gifts for birthday or Christmas. Most are ones that I have requested. However, I have one friend that I know online that sends me bookboxes. We read a lot of the same books and so sometimes she sends me a list of books and when she is finished, she sends me the ones I'm interested in. I love getting those boxes! It's not for my birthday or any special event, it's just because she is wonderful and is willing to share her books with me. That's the best kind of gift.

Booking Through Thursday: Conditioning

Are you a spine breaker? Or a dog-earer? Do you expect to keep your books in pristine condition even after you have read them? Does watching other readers bend the cover all the way round make you flinch or squeal in pain?

Ack! Don't tell me you dog-ear your books? I can't handle it!
I keep the majority of my books in pristine condition. Reading is my hobby and so I keep all the books I read (Unless I really didn't like it..then I get rid of it). I don't dog-ear pages or break the spine. and Yes! Watching others break the spine and dog-ear books gives me shivers. I just don't know how they can do that! lol!

In fact, here's how picky I am about my books. I only allow 2 people to borrow my books, my Mom and one of my sisters. The condition being...if the book will be returned in a condition other than how it was borrowed, they owe me a new copy. I also don't lone out my books that are signed or are ones I feel are "collector's" items.

I know...I'm really bad. Does it make you feel better if I tell my clothes are organized by color? oh wait..that probably just makes me more of a weirdo. I probably shouldn't mention my other closets and organization should I? Nah...I'll quite while I'm ahead.

Booking Through Thursday - Book Meme

What was the last book you bought?
This was an easy answer, seeing as how I bought one yesterday. haha! I bought Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

Name a book you have read MORE than once
Even though I keep all my books, I rarely do this. The one I know I have, that isn't a kids book, is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
I don't think so. There are some that have made me think, but none that have really changed the way I see life.

How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews
All of the above! If I'm walking around the bookstore, a lot of times the cover design with catch my interest and prompt me to pick up a book and read the back. If I don't like the cover and never heard of the author, I don't pick it up. I also have some friends who have the same reading tasts as I do when it comes to mysteries, so I'll go off of their reviews and recommendations. And of course...can't forget all the book blogs I follow via google reader.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
I prefer fiction. I have read some really good non-fiction books, but I still read a lot more fiction ones and usually pick a fiction book up over a non-fiction.

What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?
Gripping plot. If the plot is really good and holding my interest, I can look past the writing (most of the times).

Most loved/memorable character (character/book)
Oh....tough one. You know, I love Hannah in the Hannah Swenson series by Joann Fluke. She is just a very likeable charactor. I would love to be friends with her.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
I currently have two started at this time. I am reading Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris and also The Fourth Watcher by Timothy Hallinan.

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
I finished She Was by Janise Hallowell earlier this month

Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
I have, the last one I can think of was Harmony by Joanna Goodman

Booking Through Thursday - Best

What, in your opinion, is the best book that you haven't liked? Mind you, I don't mean your most-hated book–oh, no. I mean the most accomplished, skilled, well-written, impressive book that you just simply didn't like.

Like, for movies–I can acknowledge that Citizen Kane is a tour de force and is all sorts of wonderful, cinematically speaking, but . . . I just don't like it. I find it impressive and quite an accomplishment, but it's not my cup of tea.

So . . . what book (or books) is your Citizen Kane?

I would have to say Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I really don't think I'm a classics type of reader. I saw the movie when it came out, what was that 1998? I really liked the movie so I decided to try the book. I almost gave up on it several times, however, I did finally finish it. It just wasn't the type of book for me. I think the writing was good, I thought the story line was good. I just didn't like it.

Booking Through Thursday – Well, that was different

What was the most unusual (for you) book you ever read? Either because the book itself was completely from out in left field somewhere, or was a genre you never read, or was the only book available on a long flight… whatever? What (not counting school textbooks, though literature read for classes counts) was furthest outside your usual comfort zone/familiar territory?

And, did you like it? Did it stretch your boundaries? Did you shut it with a shudder the instant you were done? Did it make you think? Have nightmares? Kick off a new obsession?

Let me think…a couple of years ago I read my first memoir. I was never much of a non-fiction reader. I doubt I had ever read any for fun. However one of the members of my book group suggested we read Lucky by Alice Sebald. This was my first memoir, my first non-fiction book to read for personal enjoyment and not school. What did I think? I loved it! I loved both the story and the fact that it was a memoir. I then started to read more memoirs. While I admit they aren't the genre I read the most, I do look into them and buy them and even read some. Haha! So..to answer the question about, it didn't make me shudder – well, let me think about that. I shuddered at the way she was treated and what she had to go through, but I didn't shudder because I actually had to read a memoir. Did it make me think? Heck yeah it did! I think every memoir since has made me think. It's because I know the story is real (or at least it's supposed to be). So I think about what the person has gone through and I would do the same thing etc. Have nightmares? No...none of those. Kick off a new obsession? You bet! I love memoirs now. I don't read them as much as I would like, but at least I do read them. It even prompted me to actually read some other non-fiction books. Something I would probably not have done before.